


Partners in Potions

by thisgirlnani



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M, Gryffindor Jon is hopelessly crushing on Ravenclaw Sansa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 00:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8689480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisgirlnani/pseuds/thisgirlnani
Summary: A hopeless Jon Snow gets paired with top-student Sansa Stark in Potions. He only wants to get by, without setting her wrath on him, but inadvertently crushing on her is sending his plan into a tail-spin.





	

i.

Jon was terrible at Potions, and everybody knew it. There was a reason, after all, that the Sorting Hat had placed him in Gryffindor, house of bravery, and not Ravenclaw, house of wisdom.  His talents were on the field, as Gryffindor’s Seeker, but that hardly mattered to Professor Tyrell, the Potions’ instructor. She gave a huff of disappointment every time he clambered in late to class (which was not his fault, the damn staircases seemed to always have it out for him).

So it came as a surprise when he came to class one day, and saw the partner assignments for the new semester. In Professor Tyrell’s neat cursive, she had written, quite unmistakably:  _ Jon Snow / Sansa Stark _ . 

He had been paired with the star student of the class, Sansa Stark from Ravenclaw. He turned, looking for her and found her immediately. She was not hard to spot with her fiery red hair. His new partner was already sitting at their assigned table, her textbook splayed out on the table, with markings and highlighting decorating the pages.

Sansa Stark was revered amongst all the underclassmen for her undeniable beauty, the poise with which she carried herself, and her intelligence that carried her to the top of the rankings each year. She wasn’t known for being exactly warm, however, she stuck mainly to herself, minus a few close friends. Last year, when the Triwizard Tournament was held at Hogwarts, she had coldly turned down no less than 10 dates. Jon suddenly realized that although they were the same year, he had never interacted with her in the six years they had been at Hogwarts.

A hand clapped his shoulder, “Merlin’s beard, Professor Tyrell outdid herself this time, huh?” Jon tore his eyes away from Sansa, recognizing that cheery voice, anywhere. It was Sam, the first friend Jon had ever made at Hogwarts. The two were still inseparable despite their busy schedules, Jon with Quidditch practices and Sam with his new position as President of the Astronomy Club. 

His friend looked particularly pleased with whoever he had been assigned to, his round cheeks further accentuated by a wide smile. “She gave me Gilly. Who’d you get?” Of course, Sam had a crush on Gilly every since his first year.

Jon looked back towards his unsuspecting partner, “Just Sansa.” He tried to imbue a sense of nonchalance in his voice, but he couldn’t help the excitement that creeped in.

“Oh.” Sam shook his head, sympathetically, tugging at his scarlet and gold tie. “You’ve got some terrible luck, Jon.” His eyebrows knitted together.

It took a while for him to register Sam’s words. He was still looking at Sansa across the room. She was studying him too now, her blue eyes boring into his skull. She looked unimpressed and that caused a hot flush to creep at the back of his neck. “I mean, she can’t be that bad.” Jon whispered back, hopefully.

“Are you kidding me?” His friend’s eyes went wide. “It’s  _ Sansa Stark _ . I mean she’s gorgeous and all, but I know she doesn’t really take well to working with other people-“

“Mister Tarly! Mister Snow!” Professor Tyrell snapped. Class had almost started and only Jon and Sam were still milling about at the front of the room. “Are you just going to gawk at Miss Stark across the room? If that’s the case, the two of you will have a very difficult time this semester and I’ll enjoy failing the both of you.”

A light flurry of giggles broke out and Jon felt the hot flush spread to his face. Before his head ducked down in embarrassment, he saw Sansa’s face harden and her lips twisted into a frown.  _ Great. She already hated him, bloody wonderful.  _

He made his way over to Sansa, and took the seat next to her. She made no acknowledgement at his presence and he awkwardly cleared his throat. “Sorry about that.” He mumbled.

She barely nodded, pulling back the curtain of red hair from her face and clipping it back with a pin. Jon couldn’t help but notice her sharp cheekbones and the pretty curve of her lips. Immediately, he kicked himself internally for his thoughts. 2 seconds in and he was already being a creep. He decided to take another approach.  

“I’m Jon-“

“You’re Jon Snow. I know. I saw the parchment before I sat down.” Her tone, verging on impatience, took Jon aback. “How good are you at potions?” 

She fixed Jon with a critical look, and a rise of indignation shot through him. “I’m decent.” 

Sansa looked unconvinced. “Did you do the reading?”

_ Fuck.  _ He’d had practice late last night and completely forgotten. His grey eyes flickered down to her textbook and he coughed. “Um, mind if I look at yours, real quick?”

She sharply exhaled before sliding the book over. The sound made Jon wince and he found himself apologizing again. “Sorry, had Quidditch practice last night, big game against the Slytherins this weekend. The Captain had us out on the fields till midnight.” He ran a hand through his curly hair, nervously. He was terrible at talking to girls, but it seemed even more difficult with Sansa. Her demeanor was intimidating to say the least and he felt small beside her.

There was a pause, which Jon took as disinterest from her. Embarrassedly, he cleared his throat and began to attempt to read the text.

“Against Slytherin, you said?” Her voice had been just above a whisper, now that Professor Tyrell had started a demonstration in front of the class. Jon wasn’t even sure he had heard correctly.

He nodded slightly, unsure what to say now that she was actually responding to him. “Yeah. Are you coming out to it?”

A snort of derision escaped from Sansa’s mouth. “I don’t really come out to games a lot.” Her blue eyes looked straight ahead, fixed on whatever Professor Tyrell was lecturing on. “Especially, not ones where Slytherin plays in.” her lip curled in distaste.

That piqued Jon’s interest immediately. Although Slytherin, in the school’s past history, had garnered a bad reputation, that stigma had mostly died out, if only used, when houses trash-talked each other jokingly. Sansa had looked dead serious. “Not a big fan of Slytherin?” he ventured.

Sansa was silent, before replying a simple, “Nope.” Her right hand moved rapidly along her notebook as she continued taking notes.

Jon couldn’t help his curiosity and tried again, “Is it-“

“ _ Look _ .” Sansa hissed. Her first clenched tightly around her pen. “We’re in Potions class, so focus on Potions or I’ll ask Professor Tyrell for a new partner.” Her face was red with irritation and he thought he saw a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.

The finality in her tone shut Jon up. He had a feeling that it would be a very long semester with Sansa Stark as his partner.

* * *

 

ii.

And a long semester it was turning out to be.

The next month, Jon had breakfast with Sam in the Great Hall. Sam had been too lazy to tread over to Gryffindor’s table, so Jon had taken his plate of eggs and sausage over to the Ravenclaw table where he was greeted with smiles. 

Although Sam was really his only close friend from Ravenclaw, he knew some other Ravenclaws from Quidditch and the numerous classes he had throughout the years.

“So, how’s Potions with Sansa?” Sam was grinning, already knowing full well what the answer was.

Jon groaned. “Terrible.” He bit into a sausage and took a gulp of his juice. “I mean, I feel like I’ve never met anybody so dissatisfied with me.”

If Jon had thought Tyrell’s distaste for him was bad, Sansa’s was worse. Their first few potions had gone by relatively okay, with Sansa working furiously to beat out their classmates, while Jon mostly floundered on the side, uselessly. It was the most recent potions that had tipped the scale. Jon had meant to step up and help Sansa with their Draught of Death, but managed to screw it all up within the last 10 minutes of class. Thankfully, Sansa had managed to salvage what was left of it, but the pathetic result had earned the both of them a measly average grade. Sansa had been the very embodiment of silent fury when Tyrell had passed out the evaluations for their performance. Her blue eyes flashed as she viewed the grade, deaf to Jon’s mumbled apology.

After class, Jon had overheard Sansa complaining to Professor Tyrell. 

“I just don’t understand why you had to put me with  _ him _ .” The bitterness in her tone hurt him.

“Mister Snow, has shown he struggles in the subject of Potions, something that you happen to excel in.” Tyrell’s voice was firm. “I put you together on purpose. Perhaps you can help improve his skills.”

“I don’t have time to teach him.” Sansa’s voice was shrill. “You are the professor, not me.”

“Miss Stark. I’m not changing partners. I also put the two of you together, to benefit you. As intelligent as you are, to put it bluntly, you’re terrible at groupwork. Jon Snow is well-liked. I had hoped you would take advantage of that.”

He heard Sansa scoff, “This is ridiculous-”

“I’m not changing partners.” Tyrell repeated, severely. “That’s my final word on this matter.”

Jon had left then – before Sansa saw him eavesdropping.

He had made an effort after that, to do the readings no matter how late he got back from Quidditch practices. Sansa’s scorn for him burned at his insides like shots of liquor and it fueled his motivation to do well in the class. But still,  no matter how often he thought back at Sansa’s words, Potions was still a challenge for him.

Sam had been an option for a tutor, but he had gotten awfully busy, going on dates with Gilly and managing his club. “Tough luck, mate. I told you so from the beginning, remember?”

A curl fell into his sight, and Jon tucked it behind his ear, tiredly. “Aye that you did. You should have heard her talking about me Sam.” He grew indignant, as he recalled how Sansa had complained to Tyrell. “She was talking as though I was the worst choice for a partner-“

“Jon-“Sam looked alarmed.

“I’m not finished.” He brusquely continued. “I mean, she should try having herself as a partner. I mean yes, Christ, I’m a screw up in Potions, but it’s no fun being with her either and her judgmental  stares every time I just try to grab a damn ingredient-“

“Jon!” Sam hissed, his face was flush with embarrassment and his head made a miniscule movement forward, urging Jon to look behind him.

Irritated that he had been interrupted mid-rant, he did so, but his face paled as he saw Sansa standing there with her lips in a tight line and blue eyes steely. She had heard everything, no doubt.

“Shit, Sansa-“ 

“Maybe,” she stalked forward, earning a gulp from Jon. Her tone went low in a deadly whisper. “Next time you want to talk shit about your Ravenclaw Potions partner, you don’t do it at the Ravenclaw table.” She leaned in menacingly, but the hurt was plain in her eyes. “Idiot!” she hissed, whirling on her heel.

Jon could only muster a dazed ‘shit’ under his breath. 

Sam shook his head, “Jesus Christ, what a sight. I tell you, mate, if you’d have seen her first-year you wouldn’t have recognized her. She used to be the sweetest girl, giggling all over the place and tossing her hair. All the Ravenclaw boys worshipped her.” Sam took another bite of his toast, and munched thoughtfully.

All Jon could do was glower at his friend. “Well, that’s obviously changed.” He was disinterested in petty gossip, all he wanted to do was get through the school year without his partner hating him.

“Yeah,” Sam nodded. “Gilly told me it was because of that wanker from Slytherin, she used to date. I think the Baratheon kid?”

Jon stopped eating, frozen by the revelation. “Baratheon? You mean Joffrey Baratheon?” Jon happened to know Joffrey very well. He was the seeker for Slytherin, whose keen eyes were only matched by his vitriolic temper. Jon couldn’t imagine Sansa and Joffrey together, but now that Sam mentioned it, he remembered their very first conversation together where she had made her distaste of Slytherin quite clear. It all made sense, suddenly.

“That’s the one. He treated her terribly.” Sam shuddered. “Would yell at her all the time in the hallways, didn’t matter who was there to see it. They broke up last year – finally.”

A sick sensation curled in Jon’s stomach, “What took her so long?”

Sam shrugged, “Who knows? But ever since, she’s been changed.” His lips tightened imperceptibly and he quieted as a few students came walking by. Jon asked no further questions, and the two finished their breakfast in silence.

* * *

 

iii.

The tension between Jon and Sansa had only thickened since she caught him at breakfast. That day there was no Potions (thankfully) but the next day, he trudged into Potions with his head bent down in shame. He had made up his mind, the night before that he would apologize to her.

No matter if Sansa had complained to Professor Tyrell, at least she had done it in private, whereas he had put her on blast in the middle of the Great Hall for all to hear.

He sat down beside her, heaved in a deep breath for courage, and spoke. “I’m sorry.” Jon chanced a look at Sansa, and saw she was looking at him with surprise, which emboldened him. Anything was better than anger. “I shouldn’t have spoken like that, a-about you.” He reddened. “I had no right. When I complained to Sam, out in the open for everyone to hear, I wasn’t thinking.”

Again he looked at her and this time she looked wary. “You’re apologizing?” she asked, blue eyes suspicious.

Running a hand through his curls, nervously, his head bobbed up and down. “I’m sorry.  I was feeling angry at what you said.” He confessed, “But what you said to Tyrell was justified. You shouldn’t have to feel obligated to look after me.”

Her eyes lowered, “I didn’t know you heard that.”

Jon rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “I was eavesdropping. Also on me, I suppose.”

Sansa nodded. “It’s alright.” She paused, “I shouldn’t have talked to Tyrell without talking about you.” Stiffly, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Jon couldn’t help but feel lighter at her acceptance.

“It’s fine,” he waved it off. “God knows I’m a clumsy piece of shit-“

“And yet you’re Gryffindor’s seeker?” There was a hint of amusement in her voice and he looked up, startled.

Jon was surprised. “How’d you know that?”

She flushed. “My ex, um, he mentioned you once or twice. He was,  _ is _ , Slytherin’s seeker.”

“Oh,” Jon played dumb. “Joffrey, uh-Baratheon, right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, shortly. Sansa seemed eager to change the subject. “Did you do the reading, this time?” There was no harsh judgement, in her tone, just genuine curiosity. 

“Managed to, kind of confused, still.” He admitted. 

She slid over her notebook, complete with color-coded headings and sticky notes. “Here. The book is pretty dense, I took notes on what’s important for today’s assignment.”

Gratefully, Jon took her notebook, a little smile on his lips. He chanced another look at her. Sansa was studiously staring straight ahead, her attention rapt on whatever Tyrell was saying. A stray curl was stuck to her cheek and he was overcome by the strong impulse to brush it away.

Instead, he nudged her gently. Her eyes darted over to him, but they went back to the board. “What?” Her lips barely moved.

“Um,” he took a deep breath. “I’m going to be at the library tonight, if you want to come out and study with me. I probably won’t be much help to you, obviously, but I’d be nice to review with somebody. If you’re busy though, which you probably are-“

“Jon!” Sansa hissed, cutting him off, mid-ramble. Jon looked up to see Tyrell glancing over in their direction at the sudden increase in noise, and they both immediately looked down, avoiding eye-contact.

“Mister Snow, Miss Stark, anything you’d like to share with the class?”

Jon sunk a little lower in his seat, biting his tongue. “We’re good, Professor.” Tyrell’s gaze shifted over to Sansa who only nodded in confirmation. Decidedly satisfied with that, she resumed her lecture. 

“You’ve got to stop initiating conversations with me during class.” She muttered under breath. 

_ Fuck.  _ Unconsciously, he rubbed at his chin in irritation at himself. Sansa had said one nice thing, and of course he’d taken it in the wrong direction.

Sansa furiously scribbled something down and elbowed him as she set a scrap of parchment in his lap. He gulped, half expecting it to be a howler, that would unleash her fury, for once again, getting her in trouble with Tyrell.

He looked at her, and she raised her eyebrows, motioning for him to open the paper. Cautiously, he did so. The scrap of parchment appeared to only consist of a large inkblot, until, his thumb rested on the parchment, and the blot disintegrated, rapidly,  into Sansa’s flowery script. 

It read:  _ Idiot. Just wait till tonight if you’re so intent on speaking to me. _

For the rest of the day, Jon couldn’t stop grinning like the very idiot Sansa proclaimed him to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry!! I know i haven't updated Too Busy Being Yours, i've had the biggest writer's block. But i just wanted to get this out, and hopefully, I'll be inspired to continue my other fic. I love HP and I love Jonsa, so this fic was going to come out sooner or later haha.


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